2 Broke Girls: And the Walk Home
by ThoughtsRoam
Summary: While making their way home, things take a turn for the worse for the two broke girls
1. Chapter 1

2 Broke Girls: And the Walk Home.

_It had all happened so fast,_ Caroline thought to herself. She sat in the chair next to Max's bed, still shaking from what happened. She looked down at the dried blood on her hands; she had neglected to wash them the whole time she was there. She wiped the tears from her face again, since Max would probably tease her for crying. Call her Whiny Blondie or something. The nurse walked in.

"We're keeping her monitored. You can go home if you want," she said in a gentle tone. Caroline, without turning to face the nurse, shook her head.

"Well, is there anything I can get you?" She asked.

"No…wait actually; I know Max is going to be starving when she wakes up," she said still not taking her eyes off of Max. The nurse nodded her head and left. Caroline leaned back in the hospital chair and struggled to keep her eyes open. She was exhausted though, and soon gave in to the lull of sleep. As she fell deeper into her slumber, she started to dream about what happened earlier.

She and Max had just finished delivering two dozen cupcakes for a boy's fourth birthday party. They were dropped off by Oleg, who was going to be in the area anyway. The train they needed to get home was under maintenance care, so they needed to take a bus.

The two of them were walking along, talking about nothing in particular, when they saw the bus drive away. They ran after it.

"C'mon," Max said, "If we cut through here we can catch it!" They ran through an alleyway, when out of nowhere a scraggly looking man popped out.

"Give me yer money bitches, and no one gets hurt!" he somewhat slurred. He was holding a piece of metal that he fashioned into a knife. Max instinctively put her arm in front of Caroline.

"Listen drinky," Max said trying to defuse the situation. This wasn't her first time getting mugged, and it probably won't be her last.

"We're trying to catch a bus, and we're probably just as broke as you are, so put away the toothpick and we'll be on our way," she said in her usual calm sarcastic way. Caroline on the other hand was not calm. She was frozen with fear; the only reason she wasn't completely freaking out was because of Max's arm across her body, making her feel safe.

"Just do it lady!" he shouted at them. Max pushed Caroline behind her. The man ran towards them, Max moved forward, punched him the gut, and they started to fight.

Caroline was conflicted between closing her eyes from the scariness of the situation, and watching to make sure Max would be safe. They fought for what seemed like a while. Max had dodged a few knife jabs. When Max pushed the mugger back, he ran toward her and she punched him right in the nose. He fell, hard, on his ass and ran off, clutching his bloody nose and dropped his impromptu knife.

Max just fixed her hair and jacket. Caroline jumped for joy for her heroine. She was about to hug Max, when she saw the knife on the floor. Its blade was coated in blood, about an inch or so. Caroline turned to look at Max to see that she wasn't stabbed not once, but three times. She hadn't felt it yet because of the adrenaline. Caroline, barely a whisper, pointed to Max's stomach and said.

"Max…look."

Max looked down to see her blood oozing out three holes in her midsection. She covered them with her hands as best as she could. She looked up at Caroline and gave her a weak smile.

"And it's not even that time of month," she said, always trying to make the situation better with humor.

"Got any pads Caroline?" she asked. Caroline watched in horror as Max fainted and fell back into a pile of garbage. Caroline ran over to her friend, yelling her name and started shaking her.

"Max! MAX! PLEASE GET UP! PLEASE!" Caroline screamed through her tears. She used one hand to try and cover the wounds and took out her phone with the other. She called 911, told them what happened and where they were. By the time the ambulance arrived, a small crowd had formed around the scene. Caroline was allowed to ride in the ambulance when she said she was her partner, though they may have taken that the wrong way.

She watched as they worked on Max. Everything else became a blur; all Caroline could think about was her.

Caroline was snapped out of her sleep when the same nurse walked in with a tray of food and placed it on Max's bed. She shook the bad memories out of her head and her eyes immediately went back to Max. The doctor had told Caroline that Max would be fine, but she couldn't help but worry.

Her best friend is in the hospital, she has never been in a situation like this, where she could've lost someone. The police had shown up to ask questions earlier, she answered them but not without breaking into tears, she gave them a description of the guy and they said they'll be on the lookout for him.

Caroline was lost in her thoughts when suddenly her phone started to ring. She wiped her face, cleared her throat and answered.

"Hello?" She tried her best to sound like her normal cheery self.

"Caroline?!" Han's squeaky voice blasted through the phone.

"Where are you and Max?! Your shift started hours ago!" he said in his best boss voice. Caroline looked up the clock in the room to see it was 10 in the morning. Had she really spent the night here?

Trying to stay calm as possible, she replied: "Han, we can't come in, Max got sta-" she couldn't bring herself to say it. Tears formed in her eyes.

"I don't have time for excuses! Just get in here!" he squawked back. Caroline got pissed off.

"Listen Han! Max got stabbed and we're in the hospital! SO EXCUSE THE HELL OUT OF ME IF I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT SERVING NASTY FOOD RIGHT NOW!" Caroline hung up, dropped her phone on Max's bed and started to cry into her hands.

"Damn, that was brutal. Even I'm not that mean to Han," Max said through her respirator. Caroline looked up to see her injured friend raising her bed with the remote. Tears of relief rolled down her face as she hugged Max.

"Yeah, I'm glad to see you too but, you're kinda on my wound," she said through clenched teeth.

"OH GOD! SORRY!" Caroline quickly hopped back into her chair.

"I'm sorry," she started to wipe the tears from her cheeks. She couldn't stop herself from crying. "It's just, that I was so worried about you and-" she cried even harder.

"Hey now!" Max pulled off her respirator. "Can the waterworks blondie, I'm okay, really. I mean, I'm a little lightheaded but morphine will do that to you." Max gave her trademark smile. Caroline still had tears rolling down her face, but she smiled back at her. Max always knew what to say.

"Oooh, hospital food!" she exclaimed, opening the containers of food that was probably no better than the diner's.

Caroline was beyond relieved; she felt like she could breathe again. Max was alright. Indomitable as always. Not even a stab wound would keep her down. She sat back in her chair, finally able to relax just a little. Max offered her some of the mashed potatoes which Caroline politely declined. She didn't have much of an appetite at the moment. She sat, silent, watching Max chow down. There was silence for a few minutes. When she finished the Salisbury steak and potatoes, leaving the broccoli untouched, she moved on to dessert.

"If I knew that getting stabbed would make you this quiet, I'd've stabbed myself a long time ago," Max said while struggling to open the chocolate pudding. She winced in pain. Caroline grabbed it and opened it for her.

"Thanks Barbie. Seriously though," Max continued, "If anybody asks, don't tell them I fainted. Fainting isn't what badasses like me do. Gotta protect my street cred, y'know?" she said, half joking half serious, with a spoonful of pudding in her mouth. Her famous sweet tooth was showing. Caroline nodded in agreement.

"Sure thing Max," she replied. She was just glad Max was fine. Max examined Caroline's face,

"Sheesh, Caroline! Did you sleep at all?" She saw the weary look Caroline had.

"Just a little," Caroline admitted. She didn't want to worry Max. Especially now.

"You didn't really think I wasn't gonna pull thorough, did you?" Max asked, unsure of why Caroline still looked shocked.

"I didn't know what I thought Max! I've never been in a situation where I could lose someone I love before!" she yelled out, before realizing her mistake. "Oh god, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you, I know it's not helping you in any way. I didn't mean to snap at you," she apologized profusely. Max was in a state of shock from her words. After a short reevaluation, Caroline had realized the gravity of what she said.

"Did you just say-" Max had started to say before being interrupted.

"MAX! DARLING!" Earl exclaimed loudly as he entered the room, followed by the others. Max shot Caroline a quick look that read as; '_We'll talk later'._ Then she shot Earl a huge smile.

"Earl!" Max said excitedly. She wrapped her arms around the old man. As the whole diner family flocked into the room the nurse appeared.

"I'm sorry but all of you can't be in here at once," she warned. Sophie shouted at the nurse in angry Polish, forcing her out of the room.

"Max, sweetie, are you alright?" Earl asked, worry still on his face. The old man had a bag in his hand, no doubt filled with substances both sweet and probably illegal.

"Yes, I'm fine Earl." She hated seeing him worried; she preferred his usual cool laidback self.

"What happened darling?" he asked, sitting down in the seat Caroline offered.

"Oh, just some punk who wanted our non-existent money. Don't worry though, I gave him a broken nose to make him easier to identify. Just like you taught me." She playfully punched him on the arm. Caroline have him an inquisitive look.

"Darling, I've lived in some rough neighborhoods," he simply said, giving Caroline a new outlook on the jazz player. Han suddenly cleared his throat.

"Max, Caroline, I'm sorry about what I said."

"No Han, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. That was uncalled for."

"I thought it was hilarious" Max chimed in.

"No, no, we're family, I should've called earlier or something." Caroline still felt terrible.

"Don't worry Caroline, we're here now, that's what matters," Han reassured her.

"Max, I got some 'goodies' in here for you. Just uhh, don't let the nurse catch you with some of them." Earl offered the plastic bag to Max.

As the tension lifted, the diner family went into regular (at least for them) conservation; Han talking to Oleg about menu changes, Earl to Sophie about getting painkillers for Max.

While that went on, the words Caroline said rang in Max's head: 'someone I love'

What did Caroline get herself into now?

Chapter 1 _**end**_.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Caroline had always been a woman of routine; even with the crazy life she formed with Max, she had formed one. She always found a sort of peace with it. And regardless of how things change she'll make a routine; Max being stabbed couldn't even change that. Now she had a new one' every day, she woke up, got washed and dressed and went to visit Max at the hospital. Max said she didn't need to and that she was fine, but Caroline didn't listen.

She came by with stories and various snacks that the diner family chipped in on. Then she would go to work, update everybody and get on with her shift. Though no one said it, without Max there, work was pretty awful. No one to deflect Oleg's inappropriate jokes (not that he made as many), no one to sass the rude customers and (even though he'd never admit it) no one to argue with Han which everybody enjoyed.

By the time her shift was over visiting hours were over so she went back to the apartment. Normally she'd refer to it as home, but without Max there, it didn't feel like one. It lacked that spark of life that Max brought with her everywhere. Without her the apartment just kind of felt like a background, or perhaps a T.V sitcom set. Then she would spend virtually the rest of her time messaging Max.

The hospital had Wi-Fi so the two girls used a messenger app. Though it was mostly just updates on Max's condition and memes that they sent back and forth, Caroline couldn't help but feel a terrible pain without Max being there. She cried to sleep on the first night without her. She didn't sleep very well either; that awful moment of Max turning around to see blood trickle down her stomach.

Bags started forming under her eyes, she was sure everyone noticed but decided it would best not to say anything. She was glad for that honestly, she didn't think she could bare to talk about it. On the subject of not speaking; when Max first woke up in the hospital room, Caroline accidentally professed her love. Truly shocking to them both. Max, with a look, said it would be best to discuss it later.

But they hadn't. At all. Caroline had to bite back the words every time they spoke, whether it be in person or on the phone. When she wasn't recoiling from her nightmare of Max, she would lie awake thinking about what she meant when she said those words. 'I've never been in a situation where I could lose someone I love before!' those words rung in her head. It didn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out that the girls loved each other.

But Caroline had never said those words with such…passion? Was that the right word? Ugh, she shouldn't be thinking about this in 3 in the morning. She didn't know what she should do. All she could think of was Max, what she would've done in that alley. But, of course she knows what she would've done; she would fight to protect her weak friend. Then take a knife for her.

'That didn't help' she thought to herself, sighing deeply. She wasn't sure when she finally managed to sleep, but it wasn't for long as her alarm snatched her back to reality. A disturbing one at that; she found herself in Max's bed, clinging tightly to her pillow. Caroline doesn't recall falling asleep or walking into Max's room. She was sure this had deeply troubling underlying issue to it; but like all other working class Americans, she had no time to worry, because she had to go to work.

Not the wisest decision in her life considering her hours of sleep for the week totaled at around eight, including the naps she didn't know she took while visiting Max. She fell asleep in her chair time to time and Max would let her, she could see how much she needed it. Caroline could barely stand, let alone take customer's orders. She mostly said (and wrote) gibberish back to the patrons before wobbling off.

Before she fainted on a table, Han decided to intervene.

"Caroline?" his squeaky voice temporarily pierced her dazed state.

"YES?!" she said with all the clarity and alertness her addled mind could muster. It was painfully obvious that she was struggling to keep up this level of attention. Han could see the strain in her face.

"Caroline, I know you're worried about Max, we are all! But you must get some sleep, at this rate my customers will serve themselves!" he said.

"No, Han, I'm good. I got this," she thought she said. She really mumbled incoherently to the short man.

"See? You can barely speak! Go home! I'll call Luis to fill in," he ordered. Caroline used all her reserve energy saying that 'yes'. No longer able to argue, she nodded handed in her apron and trudged out the diner. She, in a mindless trance, walked back to the apartment. She was too tired to think, and any thought that fluttered into her mind involved Max.

Without realizing it, Caroline had gotten on the train that would take her to the hospital Max was at. It was still automated into her that she fell asleep and woke up at her stop. It was only after signing in and walking towards Max's room, did Caroline truly realize where she was. Before she had a moment to properly freak out and go home, Max saw her.

"Caroline?" She asked as her roommate spun around on her heel to face her.

"Yeah, it's me," she said, trying desperately to keep a level voice to mask her inner freaking out.

"What're you doing here?" Max checked the time.

"Shouldn't you be at work?" She wondered.

Caroline wasn't sure what to say.

"I was so worried about you that I came here in a sleep like trance"?

"I can't sleep at home because I keep having nightmares about what happened"?

"I can't stop thinking about how I said I love you"?

She wanted to blurt out all these things, but instead choose to say;

"Oh, Han gave me the day off," she walked into the room.

"I can see why, you can barely walk straight. Did you get ANY sleep?" Max asked. Caroline slumped down in the seat next to the bed, sighing

"No," she admitted. She felt an overwhelming wave of calm wash over her. She felt she could fall asleep right there in that chair, she had already in the past week. Just being near Max was enough to relieve her.

"Well, you should. I remember how you would use to kill somebody for a nap, now you get the day to sleep and you're visiting me? Girl, you thirsty." Max simply said.

Her comment aside Caroline replied;

"I can't sleep at home Max," she said. She had to say something, it was eating her up inside.

"Why not? Need cuddly ol' me?" Max teased. Caroline knew she was joking, but she couldn't help replying harshly

"It's not funny Max!" She didn't want to yell, but she unwittingly said what was wrong.

"Ok, calm down. Tell me what's wrong." This was one of the few somber moments that Max was serious. And while Caroline usually appreciated those, she was less than thrilled about this one.

"Whenever I go back to the apartment, I just talk to you,"

'Or wish you were there,' she bit back those words.

"And the only time I feel calm or relaxed, is around you," she said with tears starting to swell up in her eyes.

"I can't sleep, I keep thinking about what happened to you," tears were streaming down her cheeks while she said this. She unconsciously looked at Max's stomach, imagining the stab wounds. She didn't dare look at her face, she had to get this all out first.

"I have these nightmares, and then I think about what I could've done and-" she was cutoff by Max's finger in her lips, shushing her. Max herself was on the verge of tears.

"Caroline, you need to understand that you didn't ask me to do that for you. I wanted to do that, just like when I let you move in. You're the most important person in the world to me, I'd gladly fight that guy again to keep you safe." Caroline wiped her tears, even though new ones rolled down.

"Now, do me and yourself a favor. Go home. Get some sleep." She replaced her serious look with a heartfelt smile.

"But-" Caroline started to protest but again found herself cutoff. This time Max had kissed Caroline's cheeks. The soft lips left a tingling sensation behind.

"I'm fine, go get some sleep," Max said again, her smile was still there but her voice was firm. Caroline simply nodded and left Max to eat her pudding.

When she finally got home she threw off her purse and jacket, not bothering to fully or partially undressed. The thought of pulling down her bed made her nauseous. She entered Max's room and promptly feel on her bed. She was out in an instant. 'You're the most important person in the world to me.' Those words reverberated around her head. That scene replayed in her dreaming mind, in comparison to her recent nightmares; this was quite the pleasant change.

It was different however; they weren't in the hospital, nor was Max dressed in her hospital robe. Rather she was in that blue top that Caroline liked. Max had said those words again and kissed her cheek, as she did in real life, but then she gave her another one. And another, another, one after the other peppering her face more and more with those soft kisses. She finally placed one on her lips, it was...nice. It was slow and passionate more so then any she ever had.

Then it went further, Max started undoing her shirt buttons then she was undoing Caroline's, she undressed them faster and faster.

Caroline woke up, panting, sweating at the realization of what this meant.

"I'm in love with Max." She said to herself.

Chapter 2 End


End file.
